Neck-yoke counter-stop for artillery carriages.



no 1101321). N

No. 736,182 PATENTEDAUG. 11,1903.

r. WENKE.

NECK YOKB corm'rsn STOP FOR ARTILLERY GARRIAGES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1903.

I Q v C lNVENTOR A TTOHNE Y8.

Patented August 11, 190%.

PATENT FFICE.

FRANK WENKE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNORDEONE-THIRD T LEWISMAVERICK,on SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

NEcK-YoKE OOUNTERESTOP FOR ARTILLERY-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 73 6,182, dated August11, 1903.

Application filed April 14, 1903.

1o tor-stop especially adapted for use on the limber-pole of artilleryfield-carriages.

As is well known, every carriage supporting the gun of a caisson isdrawn by being attached to what is commonly termed a lim- '1 5 her, thehorses being hitched not to the carriage, but always to this limber, thelatter comprising two wheels, an ammunition-chest, and seats fortheoannoneersr This lim ber is generally drawn by four or more horses,and

between the two wheel-horses is the pole of the limber, the end of whichpole when the limber isunsupported'rests upon the ground. When in use,tho-end of the pole is run through a ring attached to theneck-yoke,

which neck-yoke is in turn supported by a strap fastenedto the horses?collars. The neck-yoke ring is prevented from slipping back on the poletoward the limber by abutting or pushing against the neck-yoke stop,

which is fastened to the under side of the iron tubular section orferrule secured at the end of the pole. The traces by which thewheel-horses draw the limberhave at the ends which are fastened to theswingletree short strongsprings, commonlyknown as mogul springs, placedfor thepurpose of relieving the strain on the horses shoulders by easingany jerking back of the limber and in starting. While on a gallop andduring quick maneuvering it sometimes happens that the pole is releasedby the neck-yoke ring slipping over the end of the pole and falling tothe ground, the pole striking with such force as to splinter or breakit, the

shock throwing the men off ofthe limber and frequently severely injuringthem, in addition todamaging the carriage or limber. This accident isoftentimes caused by the wheel striking an obstruction or going downSerial no. 152,547. (Ndmodel-l gait, the check to the speed of thelimber causing the pole to fly upward, relieving the weight on theneck-yoke and stretching the springs.

It is to obviate the possibility of accidents such as above describedthatthe present invention is designed; and to the accomplishment of suchobject the invention consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as will be described in this specification,delineated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appendedclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

' Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through asection of a limber-pole of an artillery-carriage, and Fig. 2 is alongitudinal horizontal sectional view of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an embodiment of my invention isdelineated, 1 designates the end section or portion of a woodenlimber-pole such as is used on artillery-carriages, saidpole having areduced end porti0n, as at 2, forming a shoulder 3, against whichshoulder is adapted to abut one end of the tubular metallic section orferrule 4, which ferrule extends for some distance beyond the end of theWooden portion of the pole and has formed integral therewith anddepending therefrom an ordinary or common form of neck-yoke stop 6. Atthe leather or rawhide 8, the plug extending some distance into theferrule, said plug and cap being secured rigidly in place through themedium of screws 9, which pass through the leather, through apertures10, formed in the ferrule, and into the material of the plug.

It will be observed that within the ferrule and between the adjacentends of the pole 1 and the block 7 is formed a chamber 11, pro vided inits under surface with an elongated slot 12. Arranged transversely ofsaid chamber and adjacent to the plug or stop 7 is a 50 into a rut orgully while traveling at a fast bar or pin 13, to which is centrallypivoted Ioo my improved counter-stop, which is designated by the numerallet. The shape, construction, and arrangement of this counterstop isclearly shown in Fig. 1 and comprises a downwardly and rearwardlyextending tongue portion 15, adapted to normally protrude through theopening or slot 12 in the ferrule, and an approximately horizontallyextending finger or projection 16, having its extremity shouldered at17, which shoulder rests upon the rear wall of the slot 12 when thetongue 15 is in its projected or protruding position, the inner edge 18of said projection 16 meeting the edge 19 of the tongue 15 at rightangles, the construction being such that a secure holding and abuttingsurface is formed for the yoke-ring, which is inserted or slipped overthe pole and lies between the stop 6.a nd the edge 19 of the stop 14:.In order to positively hold the counterstop in its normally protrudingposition, I employ a double-acting spring 20, which is coiled or woundabout the pivot 13 on either side of the counter-stop in such mannerthat one member 21 of said spring will bear firmly upon the counter-stopwhile the other member 22 presses in the opposite direction and bearsagainst the top wall of the ferrule.

From the above description, taken in connection with the drawings, theconstruction and operation of my invention will be readily apparent. Thecounter-stop and its accompanying parts are inserted'within the ferrule,and the plug and its cap are then secured in position. When it isdesired to place the neck-yoke ring over the end of the pole, thecounter-stop is pushed inward against the tension of the double-actingspring and the ringis slipped upagainstthe stopfi. The counter-stop isthen released and is pressed back by the spring into its normallyextending or protruding position, and the ring, held as it is betweenthe downwardly-depending tongue and the stop, is prevented from slippingforward over the end of the pole.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that I do not limit myselfto the precise details of construction shown herein, as there may bemodifications and variations in certain respects without departing fromthe essential features of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a pole having a ferrule securedto one end thereof, a stop formed on said ferrule, said ferrule havingan elongated slot' formed therein between the stop and the front endthereof, a pin or bolt extending transversely through said ferrule, acounterstop pivoted on said pin and having a tongue portion adapted tonormally protrude from said slot, a double-acting spring coiled aboutthe bolt on each side of the counter-stop, said spring having twomembers, one exerting pressure on the counter-stop, the other pressingagainst the upper wall of the ferrule, the construction being such thatthe spring will hold said counter-stop in its normally protrudingposition, a plug closing the front end of the ferrule, said plug havinga head portion equal in diameter to the outside cross diameter of theferrule, and a covering of soft material fitting over the head portionand secured to the ferrule, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a pole having a tubular section or ferrule securedat the free end thereof, said ferrule having an elongated slot formed onthe under side thereof, a bolt passing through said ferrule, acounter-stop pivoted to said bolt, said counter-stop comprising adownwardly-projecting tongue portion and alaterally-extending portionformed with a shoulder adapted to normally rest upon the rear wall ofthe slot, and a double-acting spring bent centrally and coiled on thebolt at both sides of the counter-stop, one member of said springpressing upon the counterstop, while the other member bears against theupper wall of the ferrule, the construction being such that thecounter-stop will be normallyheld in its protruding position,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK VVENKE.

Witnesses:

O. R. DAY, HARRY B. JORDAN.

